Interesting Mods: Jack White’s Fender Telecaster

The eccentric Jack White could never be ordinary, and the same goes for his guitars.

In 2009 documentary It Might Get Loud, we saw White cobble together a hand-built guitar with a long piece of discarded wood, a few nails, a glass coke bottle, a few strings and an output jack.

“Who says you need to buy a guitar?” he joked.

In truth, White owns plenty, many of which have been heavily modded. Luthier Randy Parsons previously worked extensively with White on a variety of Gretsch instruments, but since 2012, White’s workhorse has been a modified USA-made Fender Telecaster.

Many people posting on various gear forums believe that his light blue Tele is a Fender Highway One Tele in Daphne Blue, which is consistent with the bridge style and headstock logo of that model.

The instrument has been modified, however, with hardware coated in white including the bridge and added Bigsby. Over the years since shooting these shots of White at Lollapalooza in 2012, he has also coated the knobs in white and added a white armrest. The standard Tele neck pickup has also since been swapped out in favor of a humbucking pickup, which American Songwriter notes is a TV Jones Filter’Tron pickup. AS also credits Lin Crowson of Gruhn Guitars for the mods.

Jack White’s Fender Tele has seen additional modifications since this was shot. The knobs are also now coated in white, along with an added white armrest. He’s also added a new humbucking pickup in the neck.